Uniting for literacy progress: Ohio's systems approach to preparing and supporting P20 educators to teach all children to read well.

Abstract

Over the past decade, educators in Ohio have sought to reform reading instruction, driven by a desire to improve reading outcomes and bolstered by legislative actions and statewide partnerships. The Ohio Deans Compact, a coalition of prekindergarten through university (P20) leaders, has played a pivotal role in incentivizing and supporting reform of educator preparation programs, especially those focused on teaching reading. In addition, the Compact serves as a connector, bringing together higher education institutions, PK-12 school districts, professional organizations, and regional and state agencies to foster collaboration around the shared goal of improving learning outcomes for all. In this commentary, we highlight the Compact's contributions to promoting cross-sector collaboration in education, aligning statewide initiatives, and strengthening educator preparation. We suggest that P20 initiatives like the one in Ohio may be especially effective in supporting and sustaining reading reform. While Ohio's efforts demonstrate the promise of systemic change, they also underscore challenges, such as variability in program adoption and resistance to change within higher education institutions. Lessons from Ohio's journey may offer valuable insights for literacy reform efforts nationwide, particularly for those seeking to position institutions of higher education as active partners in lasting improvement.